2 indicted in firebombings at Bergen County synagogues, attempted murder of rabbi

Two men were indicted Friday on charges related to fire bombings and arsons at several Bergen County synagogues as well as the attempted murder of a rabbi and his family, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli announced.

The men, Anthony M. Graziano of Lodi and Aakash A. Dalal of New Brunswick, are accused of attacks against Congregation Beth El in Rutherford, Temple K’Hal Adath Jeshrun in Paramus and the Jewish Community Center in Paramus, as well as bias intimidation at Reconstructionist Temple Beth Israel of Bergen County in Maywood and Temple Beth El in Hackensack, authorities said.

In addition, Graziano is accused of the attempted murder of Rabbi Nosson “Neil” Schuman and his family, Molinelli said. The attempted murder charges stem from the fire bombing of Congregation Beth El in Rutherford on Jan. 11, 2012.

The most serious of the counts charged in the indictment could bring sentences of 30 years to life in prison.

Brian Neary, the attorney representing Dalal, said his client will plead not guilty.

“We will vigorously fight these charges,’’ he said. “He’s a college student, not a mastermind."

Neary said that he plans to ask for a change in venue, a process he had begun before the grand jury handed up the indictment.

“That is one of the things we will be following,’’ he said.

Graziano’s attorney, Ian Silvera, declined comment because he had not yet seen the indictment.

The indictments were handed up more than a year after Graziano’s arrest, and a day shy of the one year anniversary of when Dalal was taken into custody. Maureen Parenta, spokeswoman for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, said that length of time for an indictment to be handed up is typical.

“It takes that amount of time to present to the grand jury,’’ she said. “You are developing the case to present to the grand jury.”

All the acts charged in the indictment took place between Dec. 11, 2011 and Jan. 11, 2012.

The first bias crime was reported after anti-Semitic messages were found spray painted outside of Temple Beth Israel in Maywood, and at Temple Beth El in Hackensack. That was followed by the arson in Paramus, where the fire extinguished on its own causing minimal damage to the building. Eight days later, a firebomb was tossed into the second floor of Congregation Beth El in Rutherford, which was also the residence of Schuman and his family. The incendiary device landed in the rabbi’s bedroom, while he and his wife slept, according to officials. Schuman sustained burns to his left hand while trying to extinguish the flames, authorities said.

The attacks left the Jewish religious community on edge, led officials across the state to condemn the attacks, and propelled law enforcement to form a special task force, led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, to find the suspects.

After Graziano’s arrest in January 2012, prosecutors alleged that Graziano had also been stashing gasoline and bottles outside the Jewish Community Center of Paramus in preparation for another firebombing.

Both Graziano and Dalal are in custody at the Bergen County Jail, Graziano in lieu of $2.5 million bail, and Dalal in lieu of $5.5 million bail, authorities said.

Dalal initially was held on $2.5 million bail, but bail had been reduced to $1 million. However, just as he was about to be released after he posted the lower amount last June, he was accused of plotting to kill the assistant prosecutor working on his case. Bail was raised back to $2.5 million and an additional $3 million was added at that time, authorities said.

Graziano is accused of nine counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of first-degree bias intimidation, three counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit arson against a synagogue and three counts of first-degree arson against a synagogue, authorities said.

Dalal is accused of three counts of first-degree bias intimidation, three counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit arson against a synagogue and two counts first-degree aggravated arson against a synagogue, authorities said.

Both men are also accused of terrorism, possessing destructive devices and hindering apprehension, authorities said.